Separable coupler-release rigging



April 19 1927. 1,625,144

A.- F. O'CONNOR SEPARABLE courusn RELEA'SE menus Filed May 1, 194 2 sheets-sheet 1 A ril 1927.

p A. F. OCONNOR SEPARABLE COUPLER RELEASE RIGGING Filed May 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet z Patented l9,

ARTHUR F. OCONNOE'L, GHZCAGO, ILLINOES, AfSSIGNGB TU UNION RAILVJAY EQUIP- MENT 09., OF CHICAGO, ILLENOIS,

A 'GGIQPQH-ATION Q1? ILLINOIS.

SEPABABLE COUPLER-BEL RIGGING.

Application filed May 1,-

My invention relates to coupler release rigging and more particularly to a separable connection between the eye on the coupler release lever and the eye on the coupler lock.

that the same will be divided between the eye on the release lever and the eye on the locking pin the replacement of this connec tion is made possible without taking down the coupler. Also, in case it is desired to replace the uncoupling lever the same can be much morereadily removed. where a separable connection is provided in the means connecting the release lever and the locking pin than where a permanent connection between the parts is provided.

In the present methods of connecting levers and coupler looks much inconvenience results due to the fact that it is necessary to remove either the coupler lock or the lever in order to make the necessary connection between the parts. lVith the device embodied in the present invention the coupler release rigging can be separated and each part hooked onto the lever or coupler lock and then connected up making a substantial connection which .is easily and quickly applied without making it necessary to disturb either the coupler lock or the unlocking lever. Further, with any of the previously used devices it is necessary to open up the eyes in the ends of the release rigging connection between the lever and the lock in order to separate the lever and lock and in doing this quite often the eye is so damaged that the release rigging can not again be used. By providing a readily separable connection in the rigging between the end thereof connecting with the uncoupling lever and the end thereof connecting with the lock, this difficulty is avoided.

The rigging preferably comprises an upper member of malleable iron formed with an eye thereon which is left open before application to the uncoupling lever so as to vmake it easy to apply and which eye is, of

course, closed upon application of the device to the uncoupling lever. Said portion 1924. Serial No. 710,259.

of the device preferably comprises a housing having means therein for engaging with the lower portion of the connection or lock on member, said means normally holding the coupler lock engaging member in assembled relation with the member engaging the lever. The said lower member is, of course, also provided 'ith an eye that engages with the eye in the coupler lock and this eye is also preferably left open for conyenience in applying the de ice to the looking pm.

lVhile numerous means may be provided for detachably connecting the two members comprising the connection between the uncoupling lever and the lock together, preferably this means comprises a pair of latches or triggers that are mounted in the housing which are adapted to engage a suitable formation on the lower member of the connecting means to prevent dis-engagement of said lower member from'the upper member, but which latches or triggers are adapted to be moved to such a position as to permit the lower member to pass outwardly through the bottom of the upper member to disengage said members from each other, whereupon the uncoupling lever and the coupler are separated from each other so that either can be operated on without affecting the other. 7

Other objects and advantages or" the invention will appear as the description of the accompanying drawings proceeds. However, I desire to have it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described but that I intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art and as would fall within the scope of the claims,

In the drawings:

ig. 1 is a fragmentary end view of a portion of a railway car, showing the uncoupling lever and a portion of the coupler, the coupler being partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the end portion of a railway car and a portion of the car coupler, showing the unlocking lever and the connection between the locking pin and said unlocking lever embodying my invention;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and lti partly in longitudinal section, of my improved connecting memliier. between the on locking lever and the lock;

Fig. l is a similar view taken substantially at right angles to Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is a section talten on the line a --5 Of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section tultcu on the line ti---ti oi Fig. l; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of a slightly modii'ied term of device taken substantially on a plane correspeiuling to that of Fig. ii,

Referring in detail to the drawings. in Fig. i shown a railway car ltl which is provided with a coupler it and on which is mounted the usual coupler relase lever l2! having the handle portion i i and having an arm 1.4: extending outwardly therefrom which is provided with an eve that the end thereot. The coupler it is provided with the usual locking pin it; having an eve 17 therein which is connected with the e ve by some suitable expansible and contract .ible connection. The most common means is a chain but many disadwuit'agezz of this connection exist which have caused numerous other forms oil connections to be developed and the connecting means embodying my invention is intended to take the place of such flexible members as the chains rct'erred to.

The particular connecting m ans that .l provide bet-ween the eye '15 and the eve 1T comprises a member 18 having an eye 15) which is normally le'tt open beior a ppli -ation to the coupler, as will be clear from Fig. -l, said eye 19 engaging with the eye 15 to time connect the member is with the unlocking lever 12 The member in? is turther provided with a suitable housing so having a chamber 21 therein and which is provided with a pair of ribs on opposite faces thereof. the purpose of which will be described below.

lit willv be noted that the chamber 21 \\'ltlens out toward the bottom of the member l8 and that a pair of openings 2 is provided in the sides; of the housing 20, said optuiings further having late al recesses oi slots 2i therein in which the iutegrzl pivot members of the latch members it; art. mounted. Said members 26 are provided with actuating lingers- 2? extending rearvardli therefrom out through the openings :23 and are turther provided with upper sol stantially flat faces 28. curved front faces 29 and a curved nose portion 30 that connects the curved front end portion :21) with a shoulder ll provided on each ot said members Llb which extend substantially at right angles to the face 32 of said member. housing is provided with ledges l with which the lower taces 32 ot the members 26 engage, the shoulders 31 thereon normally engagin mcmbewa 25 rest in the riots 4- t'liev are l'mited in th ir inward movement due to this fact and are limited in their outward movement due to the provision of the fingers lti. llecet-ses #37 are also provided in the housing :20 into which the latch members it are adapted to swing when the other member ot the separable connection between the coupler ltlt'h' and unlocking lever is inserted therein or when the lingers 21' are actim'ed to move the members 26 into such a position that the other halt oi' the separ: blc connecting means can be removed from the housing 20.

The coupler locli engaging member is provided with an eve 3$) which is mutually left; open. as shown in dotted lines in Fig. -l-, prior to application to the locking member lo which e ve iigages with the eye 17 and is closed after such engagement has been made. The member 51:3 is turther provided with an upwardly extending shanlt portion lo that has a head ll thereon. r'said shank portion -10 being adapted to be received within the housing 20 and being preferably square in cross section, as shown in Fig. (3. The. head ll. it will be noted., it; substantiallv a 'l -head providing the shoulders l2 on opposite sides at the shank portion -land has rounded corners 4-33 on the upper side thereof as will be clear trout Fig. 3.

lt will thus be seen that when the member 3n is inserted into the member 18 the rounded shoulders i l will engage with the ends Ill) 01 the members so moving the same upwardlv or swinging the same on the pivot so that one of said members moves clockwise and the other connt'enclocltwise around its axis thus swinging said members g'adually upwardly into the recesses ll due to the tact that the rounded portions -l-il engage with the rounded luiolt-lilte portions of the latches 2o. litter the head l1 has paesed upwardly beyond said memlters 26 the members 26 will drop to the position shown in Fig. 3, looking' the member I38 within the member 18. This action of the latches is facilitated clue to the rounded coder :5 provided thereon. The members ltl and lb will have a limited dinal i relative longit. :1); al movement due to the tart that tln head a"! can move from the cud ll )l'ovided iug Qt) to latches 2b.

lli

on said latches and as the lower faces 32 are flat and the shoulders 31 are fiat and engage with the walls 34;, the latches will act substantially as a solid abutment tor the head ll at the lowermost limit of its movement. Thus, an extensible and contractible conncetion provided between the eye and the eye 17. Furthermore, relative rotation of the parts is prevented due to the provision of the ribs 22 which are substantially fiat on the ends thereof and which engage with the flat faces of the squared shank portion at) to thus prevent relative twisting of the eyes 19 and 39. This is very important as a twist of these eyes will sometimes prevent such flexibility in a connection as is necessary to obtain the desired operation of the unlocking pin by means ot the locking lever, and also will prevent the dropping of the lock into locking position when coupling takes place. a

If it is desired to separate the members 18 and 38 all that is necessary is to push downwardly on the fingers or triggers 27, thus swinging the members 26 upwardly so that the rounded noses 30 thereon will be spaced a greater distance apart than the width of the head 41, thus allowing the head etl to pass downwardly beyond the latches 26 and the opening 35. This movement is, of course, usually merely relatively downwardly as in actual practice it would be the easiest to swing the unlocking member so as to swing the arm let upwardly, thus moving the housing 20 upwardly and pulling the same away from the member 18 when the head 41 will pass outwardly through the opening 85.

Instead of providing lugs such as shown in Fig. 5 for holding the fingers in position in the casing and to provide a pivotal mounting therefor, a slightly ditterent arrangement can be used which is shown in Fig. 7. The casing 20' corresponding to the casing 20 of Fig. 5 is provided with an opening 23 through which the latch 26 projects, said latch being oi substantially the same shape as the latch 26 shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive. However, instead of providing lugs or pivot members on the latches, the latches are provided with a thickened portion having an opening therein through which a pin 51 passes, said pin 51 extending through aligned openings in the lugs 52 on the casing 20. A linger 27 for operating the latch corresponds to the linger 27 shown in Fig. 5. In order to remove the latches so, the pins 51 would have to be removed and said latches normally rotate around said pins as an axis.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an uncoupling lever and a coupler lock of extensible and contractible means connecting said lever and lock comprising a pair of separable members, means for holding said members in assembled relation, and means for moving said holding means out of holding position.

72. The combination with an Imonipling lever and a coupler lock o't' extensible and contractible means connecting said lever and lock comprising a pair of separable members, means for holdings-aid members in assembled relation, and means for moving said holding means outof holding position, said members having re-operating means thereon to preventrelative twisting of said members.

3. A device of the character described. comprising a pair of members movable axially relative to each other, one of said members engaging in the other of said members, means for holding said members detachably in engagement, and means for moving said members holding means out of holding position.

at. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a chamber therein, a member having a head thereon entering said chamber, said members having a limited relative longitudinal movement, and latches mounted in said first memher for detachably holding said headed member in engagement therewith.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a chamber therein. a member having a head thereon entering said chamber, said members having a limited relative longitudinal movement, and pivoted latches mounted in said first member for detachably holding said headed member in engagement therewith.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a chamber therein, a member having a head thereon entering said chamber, said members having a limited relative longitudinal movement, and latches mounted in said first menr ber for detachably holding said headed menr ber in engagement therewith, said latches serving as abutments to limit the relative movement of said members in one direction.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a chamber therein, a member having a head thereon entering said chamber, said members having a limited relative longitudinal movement, and latches mounted in said first member forming rigid abutments for detachably holding said headed member in engagement therewith, said chamber having means therein engaging said headed member to prevent relative twisting of said members.

8. A device of the character described, comprising an open ended housing having attachmentmeans on the closed end thereof, a headed member reciprocable in said housing and extending through the open end thereof, said member having attachment means on the opposite end thereof, and latch lit! 

